ROCKHOUNDS: Crumbliss, Wilson help Midland to win over Hooks

Published 7:18 pm, Friday, August 1, 2014

Rockhounds' Conner Crumbliss rounds the bases during the game against Corpus Christi on Friday at Security Bank Ballpark. James Durbin/Reporter-Telegram

Rockhounds' Conner Crumbliss rounds the bases during the game against Corpus Christi on Friday at Security Bank Ballpark. James Durbin/Reporter-Telegram

Photo: James Durbin

ROCKHOUNDS: Crumbliss, Wilson help Midland to win over Hooks

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The bulk of the Midland RockHounds’ run production on Friday night came from a pair of players that weren’t named Kent Matthes.

The hot-hitting Matthes cooled off a little bit against Corpus Christi but leadoff hitter Conner Crumbliss and the newest RockHound, Kenny Wilson, provided the majority of the offense for Midland in a 7-4 victory as the two combined for four RBI at Security Bank Ballpark.

Wilson, who has had a baseball odyssey this season in playing for three different organizations, hit a two-run double to tie the game in the fifth inning. One batter later, Crumbliss hit a two-run home run to give Midland a lead it didn’t give up.

Chad Oberacker was 3-for-4 with a double and RBI, and D’Arby Myers was 1-for-4 with an RBI double.

Meanwhile, Midland’s pitching staff overcame seven walks to win the game, including five issued by starter Drew Granier. Granier earned the win to improve to 7-4 and also had five strikeouts and gave up two runs on four hits.

A pitcher-dominated first four innings gave way to offense over the second half of the game as

Corpus Christi broke the ice with two runs in the top of the fifth.

An inning later, the RockHounds (26-16) broke through with four runs. Wilson’s one-out double came in his second at-bat with one out and scored Blake Forsythe and Chad Oberacker, who both reached on singles. Crumbliss then brought in Wilson with his seventh home run of the season.

Crumbliss was 2-for-4 on the night and the two RBI, and he also began a key double play with the bases loaded in the eighth inning to thwart a Hooks rally. Plus, his two-out bunt single in the seventh helped give the RockHounds two key runs in the seventh for some cushion.

Crumbliss is 8-for-22 in the last six games against the Hooks with three RBI.

“To see (Crumbliss) struggle the way he struggled earlier in the year was frustrating, not only for him but for me because I know what kind of player he is and what he’s capable of doing,” Nieckula said. “For him to start turning things around, have the home run and the bunt single, and play some good defense at second base, it’s good to see.”

Wilson, meanwhile, has been part of the Minnesota Twins and Toronto Blue Jays organizations along with Oakland this season, and has played for five different teams, including Midland and was assigned from Sacramento on Friday.

Wilson was 2-for-4 on the night with two RBI and a run scored after hitting .135 in 14 games in Sacramento.

“Number one, it’s tough to get the news you got designated for assignment and then you get the news you are going down to Double-A,” Nieckula said. “And then number three, to top it off you are in the lineup the first day in the (new) city. He went out there and made some plays for us.”

Those two runs that Crumbliss helped sparked in the seventh were crucial as the Hooks scored two in the eighth off reliever Jose Flores. Marcus Walden came on in relief and hit Tony Kemp to load the bases. But one batter later, Walden induced Ruben Sosa into a double play that Crumbliss started. Walden earned his second save of the season.

The RockHounds not only maintained their mastery of the Hooks at Security Bank Ballpark (9-1 against Corpus at home this season), but also held their lead in the Texas League South Division standings at two games.

Midland will have a chance to win the series at 7 p.m. today at Security Bank Ballpark as the two teams will play the third game of the four-game set.

’HOUND BITES: The RockHounds are leading the Texas League South Division standings but are in a solid position to make the Texas League postseason even if they don’t win the division. Midland automatically clinches a playoff spot if it wins the division, but if the RockHounds don’t win the South, they have a commanding lead in the “Wild Card” race. The Wild Card comes into effect when a team has swept both halves, and the team with the best overall record of the three remaining teams earns the playoff spot. Entering Friday night’s game, the RockHounds were ahead of San Antonio by 6 1/2 games, and Corpus Christi by 11 1/2 games. … Midland’s wins on Thursday and Friday nights gave it 33 home wins for the season, which eclipsed the 2013 mark of 31 wins. … Hooks outfielder Andrew Aplin was promoted to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday, and third baseman Colin Moran joined the team. Prior to his promotion Aplin was hitting .441 with 12 RBI against the RockHounds this season.